Electric switch



(No Model.)

A. J. HOLT.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

Patented June 2 n. wnsns. mmo m Wahingtwv. o a

il'nrrnn STATES PATENT @rrrcn.

ARTHUR J. HOLT, OF GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 318,987, dated June 2, 18-85,

Application filed January 6, 1585.

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, ARTHUR J. HOLT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Grand Rapids, Kent county, Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Switches, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to switches for breaking circuits carrying currents of large quantity, such as incandescent-lightcircuits.

The objects of my invention are to so con struct the switch that it can only be opened suddenly, so to reduce the spark, and this without the use of springs or catches, to insure good contacts, and to simplify the construction.

The switch consists, essentially, of a rightangle lever, the shorter arm of which is formed into an insulated handle, and the longer arm into a flat copper bar, which is adapted to play in between contactsprings, as hereinafter described.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevor tion of the switch, and Fig. 2 a front view of the same.

A is the rightangle lever pivoted at B to a base-piece, 0, supported on a suitable insulating-base, D. This base-piece G is connected, through safety-fuse E, with one terminal, F, and it is provided with a lug, G, which forms a back stop for the lever A. The short arm H of thelever is of insulating material, while the long arm I is of copper, and has two fiat sides adapted to make frictional contact with springs K K and K K, attached, respectively, to the base-piecc O and the opposite terminal plate, L. These springs are in pairs, as shown, and are reniovably secured by screws 2 Z to lugs Z Z on the pieces 0 and L. They are adapted to embrace the arm I on each side, and to hold it so securely that it can only be freed by pulling strongly on the arm H, the result being that when the lever is released itflies back quickly against the stop G,thus breaking any are that may be formed.

The springs K K are for the purpose of re enforcing the pivotal contact B, as I have found in practice that such pivotal contacts cannot be relied upon for carrying heavy currents. "When the springs become worn out, they may be replaced by new ones.

It is intended that the switch be placed in a vertical position on the wall, so that the circuit may be quickly broken by pulling down on the arm H. It will be seen that any arcing (No model.)

that does occur is as far removed as possible from the insulating-base, this being secured by having the lever move in a plane at right angles to the support.

hat I claim is- 1. In an electric switch, the combination, with frictional contacts connected to the two terminals of the switch, of a bent lever pivoted intermediate its ends to one terminal its pivotal bearing consisting of a long conducting-arm arranged to engage the frictional contact and that portion on the opposite side of its pivotal bearing consisting ot'a short insulated handle, substantially as set forth.

2. In an electric switch, the combination, with frictional contacts connected to the two terminal plates of the switch,ot' a bent or twoarmed lover pivoted at thejunction of its two arms to one of the terminal plates, one of said arms constituting a long conducting-arm and the other a short insulated handle, and astop attached to one of the terminal plates for limiting the movement of the lever, substantially as set forth.

8. In an electric switch, the combination, with the two terminal plates and frictional contacts connected therewith, of a switch-lever adapted to engage said frictional contacts and arranged to move in a plane at right angles't-o the base of the switch, substantially as set fort.

4:. In an electric switch, the combination, with the two terminal plates, each having a frictional contact connected therewith, of a two-armed lever pivoted to one plate and adapted to be moved to engage with the frictional contacts on both terminals and a stop for retaining the conductingarni of the ART-HUB J. HOLT.

switch-lever always in engagement with one 9 plate, that portion of the lever on one side of c; 

